Dear Colleague,

Education has become an increasingly politicized issue both in the United States and internationally. Issues of race, gender, civic engagement, parental rights, and the very purpose of education itself have become matters of debate at every level.

The UN recently hosted a summit on the topic of "transforming education" in which representatives of UN agencies laid out a vision for a global "progressive universalism in education" including comprehensive sexuality education, "social and emotional learning," climate activism, and a version of social justice that is not supported by the consensus of UN member states.

This month's Definitions explores the summit's vision for global education and why it is dangerous for children and their families around the world.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Oas, Ph.D.
Director of Research

The politicization of education systems in the United States and abroad has become greatly pronounced in the past decade, with debate over controversial curricula including critical race theory, comprehensive sexuality education, and affirmation of gender ideologies. These contentious topics have also been embedded across education systems internationally, from individual institutions to school boards and federal bureaus. In September 2022, the United Nations hosted the “Transforming Education Summit” in New York, seeking to establish a “transformative” global education agenda and framework for every UN member state. The summit spoke for all UN agencies, each in accordance with a mutual agenda enforced through their specific means and channels.  Read more >>>